The NFS series used to be done by EA games, and Criterion did the Burnout series.

Burnout hit a peak with Burnout: Paradise City, which was the best of the series hands-down.

NFS - eh, a lot of people think the old Most Wanted game (which came out on the last gen consoles, the PS2 and original XBOX, and then had a fresh coat of paint for the new consoles in a kind of Most Wanted 1.2 way) was really the best in the series. It was very well balance, well thought out ... a much better game all round than anything before or since.

The new Need For Speed: Most Wanted is a kind of mash up of he two best games; it's Most Wanted, made by Criterion. It's like the old Most Wanted had a root with Paradise City, and TADAAAAAHHHHH ... this thing.

I have only just started playing, and so far it really IS a mash of these two games, it feels a bit like each. Will post a bit more when I've had the chance to make up my mind.